In no time Baekhyun could run back and forth easily, playing around and everyone just indulged Baekhyun’s curiosity about everything.

 

 Now Baekhyun was back at the river alone, about to wash his dirty skin after all the activity he did this morning. Baekhyun grumbled to himself all the way that skin was really inconvenient, that he had to wash up almost everyday now, and the water was cold.

 

 The young boy reached the river and sat down at the side, feet dipped into the water. Baekhyun stretched his feet down curiously but he couldn’t reach the bottom of the river, and he told himself to be careful since he was alone. He cupped some water with his hands and splashed it onto his face, feeling fresh instantly. He started to rub his arms, body and legs until all the dirt came off. Baekhyun moved forward carefully and leaned his head down to wet his hair, but when he reached his hand down towards the water, he saw an intriguing reflection. He tried to touch it but the water became distorted, so he waited until the reflection cleared again and then he squinted while he kept looking down, raising his hand up experimentally and feeling surprised when it mirrored what he did. It took a while until it dawned on him that it was his reflection.

 

 Baekhyun gasped and leaned even closer, the pair of eyes took in all the features he had. Short brown hair, small eyes, small nose, thin lips, thin face, even thin body and hands. He pouted to himself, why does he look so small and frail?

 

 He quickly finished washing himself and basked in the warm sunlight to let the water dry. While doing so, he tried to remember his packmates’ faces. All this time he hadn’t really paid attention, he could only tell the differences by their scents. Baekhyun bit his lip, promising himself to look at their faces after this.

 

 The boy with brown hair walked back into the clearing, spotting a big dark brown wolf he identified as Chanyeol taking a nap outside his den. He came closer, kneeling and his hand tapped the thick fur.

 

 Chanyeol scrunched his nose, his eyes fluttered open when he sensed that it was Baekhyun’s faint scent. The older changed into his human form so he could talk to Baekhyun, and smiled down at the other. “Hey Baekhyunnie. Where were you?”

 

 Baekhyun who still gaped at Chanyeol hyung’s features couldn’t answer immediately. Well, how could he only now realize that his hyung had such a good, nice-to-look-at face? His eyes bigger than his own, nose long and pointy, thick lips, and big ears. Broad shoulder and biceps. Even his limbs were longer and thicker than his. The only small thing was his face, but it made him look good. The younger looked down further and furrowed his brows when he saw that even Chanyeol’s manhood was bigger than his.

 

 “Baekhyun?” Chanyeol called out when Baekhyun didn’t answer his previous question.

 

 “Hmm?” Baekhyun snapped out of his observation and faced the older again. “Oh! I was- I was washing myself. At the river. Yeah.”

 

 “Alone? You should ask me to come with you next time, okay.” Chanyeol said. “Come lay down with me then.”

 

 “Oh... okay.” Baekhyun was about to come closer and snuggle to Chanyeol who was lying down already, but he felt uncomfortable with way too much skin-to-skin contact. “Um, Chanyeol hyung, can you change back to wolf form? I feel a bit cold after being in the water for so long.” Baekhyun reasoned.

 

 Chanyeol raised his eyebrow but complied anyway since it was more comfy to doze off in the other form. Baekhyun happily came closer and laid his head on Chanyeol’s body. He couldn’t sleep though. His eyes skimmed around the clearing, seeing a big black wolf he knew as Tao went into his den.

 

 There were Jongin, Jongdae and Kyungsoo who also rested in their wolf forms so he couldn’t be sure of their faces. And there was Yixing, who was crushing some leaves, in his human form. Baekhyun’s eyes lighten up, and he squinted to see better. Yixing had wild black hair, stern expression, full lips and there were dimples on both his cheek. His body’s good, with muscles at all the right places.

 

 Next to him, there was another man who was helping Yixing sorting the plants. Baekhyun assumed that it was Joonmyun hyung. He had a kind, calming face, he looked small but surprisingly had a built body.

 

 There was nothing much too see anymore, so Baekhyun cuddled closer to Chanyeol’s warm body and dozed off, with the thought that he could see their faces later. He couldn’t wait. Baekhyun may still be young, but he knew for sure that his packmates were attractive.

 

 

 

~

 

 

 

 It was another meal time, and while the others prepared the campfire, meat and intestines of another poor deer, Baekhyun ran closer to Joonmyun who was cleaning the animal’s skin and fur. “Hyung!”

 

 Joonmyun turned to him and smiled, “Oh hello, Baekhyunnie, what are you doing today?”

 

 “I was washing myself today, alone!” Baekhyun said proudly. “Then I took a nap with Chanyeol hyung.”

 

 Joonmyun chuckled, “That’s good, but next time, don’t go alone, okay?”

 

 “Why do people keep telling me that? Chanyeol told me that too, but I can wash myself just fine!” The younger with brown eyes insisted.

 

 “It’s not about that. You are already aware that the river is deep right? Someone should keep a close eye on you.” Joonmyun responded calmly, as usual.

 

 Baekhyun was about to argue but nodded anyway. It wasn’t important. He could do anything he wanted alone and no one would know. He came here for another reason. “Hyung, can I have some of this... skin? It's cold at night without fur.”

 

 “Oh really? I thought Chanyeol will make you warm? Hmm... Wait, let me take the dry ones for you.” Joonmyun went inside his den and brought back a thick pile of fur, handing them to Baekhyun.

 

 “Oouff! Thank you so much, hyung!” Baekhyun beamed. He was about to walk away when he remembered something. He hesitated before he started, “Hyung? Can I ask something?”

 

 “Hm? Ask away.” Joonmyun turned his head towards Baekhyun and smiled.

 

 “Why don’t you wear any cloth? Not that I mind, just my old pack used to cover their bodies... I feel a bit weird seeing your... part.” Baekhyun gestured at his lower region, and Joonmyun cleared his throat uncomfortably, feeling the sudden urge to cover himself.

 

 “Well, honestly we thought it would be okay since we are all men, but with you here...” Joonmyun scratched his wild hair and gave an awkward smile, “I guess I’ll talk to them later.”

 

 Baekhyun nodded. “Okay then. Thank you again, hyung. I’ll bring this back to my den!”

 

 

 

~

 

 

 

 “Hey, guys.” Joonmyun started, and Chanyeol's and Sehun’s attention was on him immediately. They were on night patrol again, and Baekhyun was surprisingly okay without Chanyeol that day. “Baekhyun asked me earlier why we don’t wear anything. I think he is uncomfortable with us . I actually noticed him covering his lower part last night after I gave him fur.”

 

 “I noticed that too. Honestly, I do feel weird. He was looking at my lower part, and I feel like I have to be careful when I sit with him so my won’t touch him.” Chanyeol said, his face feeling hot. Baekhyun was an omega after all. Pup or not, it would feel weird if an omega stared at your (an alpha’s!).

 

 Joonmyun huffed. “I know that. What makes it awkward is that Baekhyun is an omega. He’ll get bigger and older, and what would we do if he got his heat?”

 

 “Well obviously, we can’t take care of that.” Sehun said snidely. “It would be sick.”

 

 Chanyeol nodded at that. “I really think that we should start covering ourselves, at least on our lower part and in front of Baekhyun. I’ll tell Wufan and the others later...”

 

 “Tch. I’ll stay in my wolf form around him. He shouldn’t even stare at our , that is inappropriate.” Sehun said, irritated.

 

 “Well, it’s hanging in front of him. He can’t unsee it.” Chanyeol tried to defend Baekhyun.

 

 “Whatever. Let’s get back to walking. The weather is bad nowadays.” Sehun suggested. The light brown wolf went ahead first, the others following not long after.

 

 Next thing Baekhyun knew, all of them were wearing a small piece of pelt, even Sehun, who felt ridiculous and stayed away from Baekhyun as usual.

 

 

 

~

 

 

 

 “When can I get back to my wolf form? I miss running around the forest and never having to feel cold.” Baekhyun whined.

 

 Kyungsoo hummed before answering, “Well, you can do it when you feel like it.”

 

 “Eh? Why do I know this just now?” The young boy straightened immediately and gaped at the others.

 

 “Oh? We thought we’ll let you choose when you want to do it. It’ll be easier and less painful, I promise. The hard part is over.”

 

 “Well, tell me how!”

 

 “Hmm, we already got used to doing it without thinking. I guess you can do it when you have the urge to change, for example when you’re in danger or when you really have a strong desire to change.”

 

 “Sounds complicated...” Baekhyun frowned.

 

 “Hmm, you can ask Wufan, he can shift really fast.”

 

 “Oh, maybe I will.” Baekhyun looked down in thought, “Do you know where he might be right now?”

 

 “Hmm... I’m not really sure, ask Minseok hyung, he is usually with him.”

 

 “Okay then.” Baekhyun patted the dirt away from his skin as much as he could before walked to where the oldest wolf rested. “Um, Minseok hyung?”

 

 “Baekhyun-ah? What’s wrong?”

 

 “Do you know where the Alpha is?”

 

 “Oh, he’s usually on his run, this time. Just wait under the big oak tree. You know that, right?”

 

 “Of course.” Baekhyun smiled. The big oak tree was a perfect place to sleep, really. The tree, as it was described, was big, its leaves covered most of the area and it was cool, and breezy. “Thank you, hyung.”

 

 Baekhyun walked down the forest, now that he was taller in his human form, it felt like he was in a new place. Not long after though, he could feel something running near him. Hopefully it was Wufan hyung. And yeah, he was right.

 

 Coming from his left, he saw a big golden wolf moving towards him, sharp eyes met his own and slowed down to stop on front of him.

 

 “Alpha?” Baekhyun came closer slowly.

 

 Wufan changed to his human form so he could talk to Baekhyun. Baekhyun gulped, looking up since the older was so tall and really attractive. Also, he didn’t bring his pelt to cover the… ehem. “Yes, Baekhyun-ah? What are you doing here, alone, in the forest?”

 

 “Um, Kyungsoo hyung told me to come to you.” The younger boy shifted his feet from left to right. “I want to learn how to change back to my wolf form.”

 

 “Oh... is that why? It’s simple, really. We can shift automatically if there is a threat, or when we want to.” Wufan said shortly, which was not very helping.

 

 “Well, I’ve been wanting to go back to my wolf form since long ago but... I’m still human...” Baekhyun extended both his hands on his sides in a show of his still human body, full of skin that was easy to tear down.

 

 Wufan hummed in thought. “Okay, I’ll change back to my wolf form. Technically, you should feel intimidated and your instinct will make you shift.”

 

 “Okay.” Baekhyun nodded and gulped when Wufan shifted in the blink of an eye in front of him, his wolf form was really huge up-close, it almost reached Baekhyun's chest.

 

 Wufan came closer and Baekhyun took a step back, his heart thundered in his chest, watching the Alpha suddenly jump on him, and he landed hard on the grassy ground, with the Alpha pinning him down. He could see rows of sharp teeth come into his view and that was terrifying. He closed his eyes shut and...

 

 Nothing.

 

 The golden wolf jumped back and changed, and Baekhyun... was still in his human form.

 

 Wufan shook his head. “This is weird. Why aren't you shifting? Where is your instinct?”

 

 “I don’t know, hyung. You were scary, but I don’t feel threatened, because I know you won’t hurt me.” Baekhyun answered honestly.

 

 Wufan sighed, thinking that he was too soft on Baekhyun all this time. “Well, I guess since this method is not working, you should do it with your own will to change.”

 

 “How? It’s hard.”

 

 “Close your eyes, I will to guide you through this.” the Alpha sat down, “Let's sit, I feel tired of looking down on you.”

 

 Baekhyun followed the instruction, glad about it since his neck felt uncomfortable, always looking up to the older. He let out a breath and shut his eyes.

 

 “Okay now, I want you to imagine your wolf form. All of it. Your ears, snout, tail, paws. You have to will your body to change. Feel it in you. Your wolf. It wants to come out.”

 

 With the helpful guidance from Wufan, Baekhyun was finally back to his beautiful white wolf form. He noticed that he got slightly bigger. He jumped around excitedly, happy to be back on his four feet, happy to have his cute waggling tail and soft fur back.

 

 “It’s easy right? Now that you know the basic way to do it, it is easier to change back and forth from wolf to human to wolf again.”

 

 Baekhyun made a dislike sound at the thought of being back in human form again. “Well, I’m going to stay in my wolf form for a long time.”

 

 “Oh believe me, you will change anyway. Let’s get back then.”

 

 They walked back to the den, Baekhyun as usual treading behind him, still looking small next to the Alpha’s much bigger form.

 

 The older suddenly stopped and sniffed the air, and Baekhyun halted his steps, “Wait a minute.”

 

 “What are you doing?” Baekhyun asked curiously, watching Wufan scratching a tree and rubbing his body onto it. The pup thought that it would be painful to rub your body against the rough surface of a tree.

 

 “We have to remark our territory every few days, when the scent becomes faint.” Wufan answered, shaking the tree’s skin off his body and the pup had to dodge them.

 

 Baekhyun hummed. “Do you think I already smell like your pack?”

 

 Wufan walked back to Baekhyun’s side, sniffing him. “Well, just a faint one since it mixed with your original scent.”

 

 “Can I mark the area too?” Baekhyun already walked to a tree without waiting for an answer but the Alpha suddenly bit his scruff and lifted him up high. Baekhyun yipped.

 

 “No, you can’t.” Wufan put him down, his voice deep and stern. “I’d rather not let outsider wolves know there is an omega pup here.” I don’t want them trying to harm you was left unsaid.

 

 Baekhyun whimpered and flattened his ears, Wufan’s tone frighten him. “Okay, Alpha.”

 

 Wufan sighed softly, “Come on, let’s go back.”

 

 Baekhyun kept quiet on the way back, ears flat, tail hanging low, keeping a few steps away from the Alpha and Wufan almost felt worried that he was too harsh on the smaller one, but he told himself that it was necessary. The omega should learn to obey his Alpha, waiting for the Alpha’s approval in everything, and not just jumping with what he wanted.

 

 

 

~

 

 

 Time flew by and suddenly it was Baekhyun’s first hunt.

 

 It was a dark noon, the sky grey, cloudy and chilly but they had to seek for food for today. Baekhyun was staying near Chanyeol, listening to him talking to Minseok when Wufan called him.

 

 “Baekhyun, come here.”

 

 At the Alpha’s tone, he immediately obeyed and strode towards him. “Yes, Alpha?”

 

 “Are you ready for your first hunt?”

 

 The grown pup gasped before jumping excitedly, “Yes!”

 

 “Alpha! Don’t you think it’s too soon?” Chanyeol exclaimed. “He is still so... small.”

 

 Baekhyun offended, “I’m not small! I can totally do it!”

 

 “He has to learn from a young age on. Don’t you remember that you were about his age when Alpha Yunho took you to hunt?”

 

 ‘But he is an omega, omegas never hunt.’ The words were stuck at the tip of his tongue. He didn’t want to bring the hierarchy of wolves into this. Wufan seemed to acknowledge this, as he glared at him as if saying, ‘We have agreed upon this. Treat him equally.’

 

 Chanyeol sighed in defeat, “Okay then, but you have to stay near me.”

 

 “I have learned how to hunt from you, hyung.” That's true. Everytime he was allowed to come with the hunting troop, he made sure to pay attention, which part to bite and how way to attack.

 

 “But this is your first hunting and killing. Right?”

 

 “I have killed a small rabbit before! I have sharp teeth, you know!” The youngest then showed off his sharp canines, making the olders chuckled.

 

“Let’s go before it’s way too dark then.”

 

 All four of them, Wufan, Chanyeol, Jongin and Baekhyun walked into the forest, and just a few moments after they started, Jongin smelled something. “Hey, wait a minute, I think I smell something. Not far. Let’s go, this way.”

 

 They followed the scent the wind carried and saw a big moose, it was a male, based on its big antlers, probably on its way home.

 

 “That is big!” Baekhyun whispered in excitement. Imagine the meat he’d get if they got the moose down.

 

 “Let me attack first,” Jongin said confidently.

 

 “You sure you can take it down? It’s the biggest animal we’d try to chase.” Wufan said.

 

 “Uh, I’m not really sure, but we have to try. I need some help.”

 

 Wufan nodded and gave a signal to Chanyeol to follow after Jongin. “Baekhyun, you stay back on this one.” the Alpha told him. The white wolf nodded and hid behind a big rock, peeking from the side.

 

 Baekhyun could see Jongin moving quickly from tree to tree, slowly cutting the distance between his prey and him. Jongin looked back to give Chanyeol a cue and started running towards the male moose, who was aware of them now, and made a run for himself.

 

 Wufan took off not long after, and made sure that Baekhyun stayed there.

 

 Jongin succeeded in pursuing the moose, Chanyeol was right behind him, avoiding the trees around them and jumped to attack the smaller calf. The moose wailed and thrashed around, swooping Jongin who was about to bite its neck with the antlers and threw him into a tree.

 

 Jongin howled painfully and Chanyeol let go of the moose's bleeding calf immediately, rushing to Jongin's side. Baekhyun came out of his hiding place, eyes wide with fear and worry.

 

 Wufan asked worriedly, “Are you okay?”

 

 Jongin breathed out harshly, “No, I think- I think there is something broken.”

 

 “Okay, let’s just get back. Jongin, can you walk?”

 

 “I think I can but slowly, it kinda hurts to breath.” Jongin panted and you could tell that he was shaking. “But what about the moose? We haven’t get any food today? Chanyeol, why did you let it go?”

 

 “Do you think I care about the moose when you are injured??” Wufan barked. “Come on. Chanyeol, help him.”

 

 “Yes, Alpha.”

 

 On the way back, drops of water fell from the sky, and it got harsher, with thunder booming from above and dark grey clouds continued to pour the rain. They moved faster, Chanyeol concentrating on bringing Jongin back to the den as soon as possible, while Wufan ran close beside them, making sure Jongin won’t fall on the way home, unintentionally forgetting about little Baekhyun.

 

 They all were running in a hurry and Baekhyun was a bit left behind, since obviously he had shorter legs. He tried to move his legs faster, to the point where his muscles felt like burning, while trying to see where the others were since the rain messes with his sight. He tried to howl, but his voice was swallowed by the wind.

 

 Thunder crackled on the sky again, white light blinded the white wolf momentarily, and the next thing he knew the big tree on his right was about to fall down. Baekhyun’s eyes widen and he tried to avoid it frantically but it was too late. The tree made a loud thud sound and Baekhyun couldn’t move.

 

 And all he felt was pain down his hinder legs. Baekhyun howled, hoping at least one member of his pack heard it or realized that he hadn’t returned with the hunting troops. He desperately hoped someone would remember his existence and wasn't too focused on Jongin’s condition, and came to help him.

 

 

 

~

 

 

 3,462 words

 

For once, a cliffhanger lol

 

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